APEDA’s appeal against decision to accept Madhya Pradesh as Basmati producing state is against state farmers’ rights and national interests

Bhopal: In a letter to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan has expressed deep dismay and shock on Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) appeal against decision of Geographic Indication, Chennai to accept Madhya Pradesh as Basmati cultivating area in Intellectual Property Appellate Board, Chennai. Shri Chouhan said that Madhya Pradesh government and farmers’ bodies have presented before Geographic Indication, Chennai numerous authentic and indisputable historic documents and laboratory reports to prove that Madhya Pradesh has been traditionally growing Basmati for more than a century. He said that quality of Basmati grown in Madhya Pradesh is as good as, if not superior to Basmati grown in Northern India. The Chief Minister also wrote similar letters to Union Agriculture Minister Shri Sharad Pawar and Union Commerce and Industries Minister Shri Anand Sharma.

In the letter to the Prime Minister, Shri Chouhan said that it seems that APEDA, which has the mandate of promoting export of agriculture produce, has succumbed to certain vested interests of Northern India. Acting against its own mandate and under bogey of WTO and International Courts, it has filed an appeal against GI order dated December 31, 2013 thereby hurting the legal and legitimate rights of the Madhya Pradesh’s farmers. It implies that APEDA has apparently no objection to Basmati rice grown in Pakistan but has definite objection to include Madhya Pradesh as Basmati cultivation area.

Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that the state has proved beyond doubt in GI, Chennai that it has been traditionally growing Basmati rice. Geographic Indication, Chennai accepted all the factual documents presented by the state and directed APEDA in order dated December 31, 2012 to amend its application and include Madhya Pradesh as Basmati cultivation state. He wrote to the Prime Minister that he wants to bring it to his notice that Madhya Pradesh cultivates Basmati rice in 2 lakh hectare and produces 5 lakh MT. The Basmati cultivated in Madhya Pradesh has been of standard quality acceptable and favoured by foreign markets so much so that Basmati from the state has around 40 percent share in export of Basmati rice to USA.

Shri Chouhan said that Madhya Pradesh has successfully proved in GI, Chennai that it has been traditionally growing Basmati rice. The stand taken by APEDA is against the rights of Basmati cultivators of Madhya Pradesh, is against mandate of APEDA and is against the national interest. Shri Chouhan said that this stand of APEDA will reduce exports of the country significantly and help countries like Pakistan.

The Chief Minister said that he does not know whether or not decision to appeal against the decision of GI Registrar has backing of the Prime Minister but the discontent is surely and palpably brewing amongst farmers of Madhya Pradesh. He urged the Prime Minister to immediately intervene in the matter and direct APEDA to accept the GI, Chennai’s order dated December 31, 2013 in letter and spirit. He said that most humbly he would like to emphasise that he and his Madhya Pradesh government will continue to press for the interests and rights of state’s Basmati farmers.
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